


History Is All Gone, Make the New, Make the New

by miribees



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Bow and his family should talk, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Gen, M/M, Post-Canon, This is almost entirely talking, and his emotions and people being proud of him and talking, bow n glimmer being kinda clingy but can you blame them holy shit, but boy do they have a lot to talk about, i just think he's neat and i love him, little a hurt. as a treat., more love for bow and his dads, parents expressing unconditional love to their children, slightly complicated relationships, this is about bow and all his relationships and love and family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:53:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24386209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miribees/pseuds/miribees
Summary: It's the night of Horde Prime's defeat, and Bow goes home.
Relationships: Bow & George & Lance (She-Ra), Bow & Glimmer (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra), George/Lance (She-Ra)
Comments: 20
Kudos: 82





	1. Beginning

_"This is it, will you be okay here? I'll be back soon, it's just some official Queen stuff, and I'll have to visit the Moonstone, but..."_

_"I'm fine, I promise. I've missed this place, it's good to see it still standing."_

_"...They're probably wondering where I am."_

_"You're right."_

_"That means you have to let go, Bow."_

_"Oh! Right. Right."_

\---

Bow looked out from his familiar room at Bright Moon, over the newly restored Whispering Woods, and felt... normal, for the first time since the war was won. Not a big hero, not a tiny ant crawling at the foot of Horde Prime. Just Bow. The archer sighed forcefully, letting his adrenaline give way to a still unbelieving, surreal appreciation of the world he helped save- more beautiful and somehow still more the same than ever. He pulled his bow and quiver over his shoulder and let them fall to the side as he flopped back onto an overly large cushion. He forced his hands to lay idly crossed on his chest as he breathed in, and out, and in. This was calm, this was... normal. This was...

A muffled alarm had him flailing for his bow, scanning for the source of the sound. Somewhere behind him? Or... below him? Bow gasped as realization struck.

"Dads!" 

Digging into the plush cushion had the sound becoming louder, eventually becoming the shrill beeping of an incoming call on his comm pad. Fumbling it out of the pile of fabric, Bow turned the connection on and watched as the screen crackled into clarity, revealing George's intense focus on the other end.

"Bow! He's here!"

_"Bow!"_

"Dads! Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry, I hadn't even thought to call-" Bow slumped back into the cushion with a groan, the weight of the last several hours hitting him all over again.

"It's okay, it's okay! We needed to get home to fix the pad anyway, we just got back." George gestured at something over his shoulder.

"But never mind us!" Lance interrupted, "Look at you! We're so proud of you! What happened out there?" 

"... It's a really long story."

"We want to hear _everything._ "

"I'll tell you, I promise." Bow sighed. "I should say it in person, it's just way too much, but... can I bring Glimmer?"

"Your friends are our family too, Bow." Said George, at the same time that Lance said,

"Of course, I'd love to talk to her too, we were worried about _all_ you kids."

Bow rubbed at his face with the hand not holding the comm pad, feeling heat rise. "Okay, good, because it'd be a lot quicker for her to teleport us, but I'd feel really rude getting her to teleport me all the way there and then, uh, telling her to leave, so-"

"Son, I wouldn't dream of it." George pulled the comm pad closer, his entire countenance radiating unyielding fatherly finality, while Lance continued smiling from halfway out of frame. George stared for a moment, and Bow stared back.

"So, we'll see you soon, okay?" Lance adjusted the comm pad to finally fit both of their faces as he spoke, and continued. "I'll try and have the house presentable, it hasn't looked quite like this since we moved in, hey hun?" which earned him a light smack on the chest from his husband.

Bow jolted to an upright position, gripping the pad in both hands as the image of what his family home had looked like during his most recent visit flashed through his mind.

"I meant to say to you guys before I left! I'm so sorry about what happened to your collection-" 

"Don't care." George cut him off quickly.

"Nope!" Lance piped up.

"What we care about is _you_ , Bow. And you're all in one piece. So, you come whenever you can, and we'll talk, okay?" George's face softened, and Bow couldn't help but smile softly too. 

"Yeah. I'll be there soon."


	2. Home

Bow dropped the comm pad to the side, the room almost still again except for the gentle wind that knocked a tiny, dissonant melody from the hanging crystals above. The air was always purer at this height, and it always helped him think before. So he sat, and tried to rub the soreness out of his knuckles, and just let himself think. But the breeze was so cool, the chimes so soothing, everything just... so comfortable, his thoughts could only hold out so long against the heavy blanket of sleep. 

"Bow!"

The archer in question made an undignified noise as he flailed back to consciousness and looked around.

"...Glimmer!"

"Bow? Oh, good, you're here. I mean, I knew you would be, but..." She cut herself off with a nervous laugh, walking into the room and stopping just beside him to look out over the balcony where a flock of magic creatures had taken flight in lazy circles around the castles walls. "... It's incredible."

"... Yeah, it is." 

"Oh! I brought something for you. I figured you'd have forgotten to eat." She thrust an arm towards him, hitting him in the chest with a small bag. Bow blinked down at it before grabbing it and fishing through it for it's contents.

"Yes! You know the cheesy scones are my _favourite_ thing, like, ever." He dropped the bag and shoved the entire biscuit in his mouth. "I'm gonna cry. I'm crying."

"Dork."

Bow frowned through his chewing and quickly choked it down with a cough.

"Wait, where's Adora?"

"Back in her room with Catra, I went to check up on them before I came back here."

"Great, great. Cool."

"They're sleeping, and it's adorable." Glimmer crossed her arms with a sigh, and Bow noticed she'd finally changed her clothes. She had long soft-looking sleeves pulled down over her wrists now, and a usual pair of leggings. She looked... comfortable, normal again, and he looked down at his own clothes, covered in dust and torn around the edges.

"I should probably fix this, I can't exactly show up at my Dads' like... this." He laughed, and gestured vaguely. Glimmer squinted at him.

"Like wha- oh, yeah, you do kinda smell like burnt bot. You're going to your dads' place?" She obligingly covered her eyes as he turned and rummaged through drawers.

"Yeah! I mean, I meant to ask you, because I kinda said you were coming. And that's my bad, I just figured you could-"

"Bow, I want to go." She waited, hearing the _clank_ of metal against metal, and a moment of nothing.

"... Okay, I'm good!"

She moved her hands and looked over at where he was scooping his bow and quiver off the floor and refastening them over his shoulders. 

"That's exactly what you were wearing before, Bow."

"I keep backups." As if it was the most obvious thing in the world. And it really should've been.

"Right. Are you ready to go?" She rolled her eyes and extended a hand, waiting.

"You're sure you can duck out right now?" He said, jogging over and grabbing it easily with his own.

"Euugh." Glimmer groaned and waved her free hand exasperatedly. "If people can't give me a single evening to myself after what we just did, I'll pass a law that says... um. I don't know what exactly the law would be, but it'd be that I can do whatever I want... aaaaand my dad told me he'd handle the rest of the talking tonight so I could relax a bit." Her face softened, but her grip on Bow's hand got tighter. "I promised him I'd see him later, but we've got plenty of time! And this is important."

"... Thanks, Glimmer." 

And they were standing in the lobby of the library, a light fog of sparkles dissipating around them. Bow glanced around, taking stock of the shelves and rubble, still the same as it had been before.

"Dads?" His voice, without needing to shout, bounced around the room, and there was a loud _thump_ from somewhere further inside.

"Over here! In the kitchen!" Lance's voice rang back, and Bow didn't hesitate before sprinting towards it. He turned past a support column and around a corner, stopping short in the doorway to the kitchen, where Lance could be seen crouching in front of a pantry, with George further behind arranging intact chairs around the kitchen table. He opened his mouth to speak, but just stared mutely at his fathers as they turned to see him. He felt a squeeze on his hand and glanced down- Glimmer's hand had never left his as they ran, and now she was looking up at him, seemingly on the verge of tears. He looked back up in time to brace himself for Lance launching himself into a hug that nearly knocked them both to the ground.

" _Oof!_ Hey, hey!" He laughed, and felt his own eyes watering as he wrapped his arms around Lance.

George came up behind them, arms crossed. "Lance, let the boy breathe", he said, but with no real sternness behind his words. Lance all but sobbed in response, not loosening his grip on Bow in the slightest. George glanced at where Glimmer stood behind them, wiping her eyes on her sleeve, and gestured towards the group.

 _"Family_ hug, Queen. We can't let this sap take it all for himself." George wrapped his arms around his husband and son, and Lance looked up at the touch as if suddenly remembering that the world existed outside his arms.

"Oh! Oh, Glimmer! I'm _so_ sorry, get over here." Lance sniffled and extended an arm, and Glimmer threw herself into the hug with a happy wail. They stood in the middle of the kitchen, no one willing to be the one to break the embrace, for several long moments. Bow could feel Lance's heartbeat from where he was crushed against his chest, and how it moved rhythmically with every breath he took. Bow listened, and breathed, and it smelled like home.

Lance stepped back abruptly, grabbing a kitchen towel from a hook on the wall and blowing his nose loudly, and George sighed heavily.

"That's great, dear."

"Sorry, sorry." Lance sniffled again before inhaling deeply, holding it for several seconds and letting it go slowly. George placed both hands on Bow's shoulders and held him at arms length, examining him with an intense stare. 

"George, I'm okay, I'm okay." Bow laughed, raising his hands in front of him in surrender under his father's gaze. George let his shoulders go as he turned to quickly check on Lance, and Bow stepped back, stretching his tired arms in this moment of peace. Lance dropped back down to dig through the cabinets again, waving an arm towards the table and chairs.

"C'mon kiddos, have a seat! I know there has to be a tin of biscuits left in here _somewhere_ that _someone_ didn't eat yet-"

"For the last time, you didn't tell me they were for special occasions." George spoke through gritted teeth. "... You're looking in the wrong place anyway. Check the back left of the top shelf."

Bow heard a quiet shimmer of magic behind him before Glimmer appeared across the room, directly on one of the chairs. She rolled up her sleeves and stretched her arms out over the tabletop before resting her head on top of them, angling slightly to look out at Bow.

"Beat you." She stuck out her tongue, and Bow sputtered.

"It wasn't a race!" Bow wove between Lance and George where they still stood bickering and threw himself into the chair beside Glimmer with a sigh. "But yeah, you won."

"Nice." Glimmer stretched back out over the table, reaching as far as she could before relaxing again with a sigh. "I'm not allowed to flop on the dinner table at home." Her voice was slightly muffled by her arms and the tablecloth and Bow smiled at the sight, a warm feeling spreading through his chest. His hand was on her forearm before he had to think, and he privately marveled at how soft someone could be.

The reverie was disturbed by a plate being placed beside him, so overly piled-up with cookies that those that couldn't handle the momentum quickly scattered off onto the tabletop and floor.

"Sorry! Oh, sorry, _oooo_ , that one's still good!" Lance's voice behind him nearly made him jump and he awkwardly pulled his hand back, just enough that the top of his right hand could still brush against the side of Glimmer's arm, still grounding him. Lance - holding the escaped cookies- flopped down in the chair to the left of Bow, and George pulled out a chair across from him, forming a loose semi-circle.

"So!" Lance threw an arm around Bow's shoulders and hugged him tightly from the side, shoving his face close to Bow's as his eyes shone with unrestrained excitement. "Tell us _everything!"_

"Whatever you want to share with us." Came George's low, more measured voice, and Lance looked up sheepishly.

"Oh! Right. Sorry, I'm just... _so_ proud of you. Our little soldier!" Lance released Bow and sat back in his seat, wiping his eyes before taking a bite out of one of the floor-cookies, as if it would stop him from bursting into more tears.

"Bow was _amazing."_ Glimmer spoke first, raising her head fully off the table with a blinding smile, beaming at Bow before turning towards Lance. "He saved my life, and... and everyone's lives! He and Entrapta disabled the chip system that was turning all those innocent people into Horde Prime's zombies, just in time!" She threw her arms out and up in excited emphasis and Bow's hand nearly tried to chase the contact in a quickly aborted motion.

"I- Well, I couldn't have done it without you, you got us to the Fright Zone in time." 

"What was it _like_ there?" Lance was leaning in close again, eyes wide. Bow and Glimmer glanced at each other, and she answered before Bow could.

"Dead. Dead, and... _empty,_ but at the same time, it was so full of these machine things and buildings spreading out _so_ far!"

"There was a bit of a valley kinda thing outside the tower, and-"

"- the other princesses and I had to hold off the Horde there, but they just kept coming, and then..." Glimmer finished, trailing off into thought. 

"But we're getting ahead of ourselves." Bow said hurriedly, nudging Glimmer with a shoulder. She perked up at the contact, looking up at the quiet concern on his face. She smiled, and picked up his hand in both of hers. 

"... How about you start at the beginning, then." Bow's head whipped around at the sound of George's voice, seeing his father watching curiously from across the table. He blinked, and shook his head quickly to focus.

"The beginning..." He began slowly, looking back to Glimmer, still holding his hand in her vice-grip.

"The very, very beginning would be when we met Adora." She piped up, pride flashing over her expression at the memory of what Adora accomplished. Bow nodded in agreement, thinking of the early days.

"Your mom was so mad when we snuck her into Bright Moon." 

"...Yeah." Glimmer looked past Bow, her soft gaze flickering away towards something non-distinct further into the kitchen. After only a second, she turned back to him with a smile. "We have She-Ra to thank for getting us out of that one." 

"And then things got totally crazy at the Princess Prom, oh _man_ , remember when Catra and Scorpia showed up!"

"Eugh, that was an awful first impression, on both fronts." Glimmer shook her head in exaggerated judgement, and the fathers shared a look of non-recognition.

"Catra and Princess Scorpia, uh, from the Horde." Bow explained. "You saw Catra, actually! She was on the comm pad screaming her head off that time in the ruins, we had to get over there pretty quick-"

"They're good guys!" Glimmer interrupted quickly, and Bow nodded vigorously.

"Right! Right, they helped save the world!"

"You're friends with Horde soldiers? Bow, that's not nearly the craziest thing about you now. If they're your friends, we'd love to meet them someday too." Lance looked over at his husband for agreement, and George nodded.

"And what happened at this 'Princess Prom'?" The former soldier asked, the heavy quotations evident in his voice as he raised an eyebrow at the duo from across the table.

"Oh, that was the _first_ time I got kidnapped." Glimmer cringed at the memory, and the family around her frowned.

"I didn't know about that." George's expression was serious again, and Bow hurriedly jumped in.

"It was before you met her, and the other princesses showed up _super_ fast to save uu- uh."

"To rescue me!" Glimmer shot up from her chair, finally releasing Bow's hand, raising her hands to clasp in front of her chest. She stared across the table, and George kept her gaze steadily, with gentle concern. He made no move to look away, and Glimmer sat down again after several awkward seconds. Bow quickly placed a hand back on her shoulder, and she reached over with her opposite hand to grab it.

The family was quiet, save the sound of Lance chewing with a nervous expression.

"Does, um." Lance swallowed, and continued. "Does that happen often?"

"Lance." The word carried an implicit warning, and the younger pair watched as George shared a look with his husband. Lance sat back in his chair, seeming to understand.

"Right, right!" Lance cleared his throat, and Bow looked quickly between his fathers, still holding onto Glimmer. Gently, he took his hand from her shoulder, laying Glimmer's hands down on her lap as he did. He turned in his chair to look at her, ducking slightly to meet her downwards gaze.

"Remember in space, when you climbed up to that cave and got the energy crystal we needed?" Bow looked up at her with a small smile, and Glimmer jumped on the subject change.

"You're the one who got us back across the ravine safely! We would've all been stuck there without you." She lightly pushed his shoulder and laughed. "You need to start giving yourself some credit, Bow." 

"I will if you will." Bow gave her a light push back, and his expression melted into relief at an arrow dodged.

"You guys..." Lance's wavering voice caught both of their attentions, and the historian was dabbing at his eyes with the edge of the table cloth. He sniffled again, blowing his nose in the fabric and standing abruptly.

"You just make such a good _team!_ I'm so proud of you!" He caught Glimmer and Bow in another crushing hug, half lifting them out of their chairs as he gave Bow an exaggerated kiss on the top of his head.

"Hey, hey- Dad! Stop- Lance! Hey-" Bow sputtered, pulling an arm free and trying to wave his father away while Glimmer stared, trapped against him in the embrace. She wheezed, and then laughed, tears beginning to drip down her cheeks, which only caused Bow to struggle harder and Lance -who knew an opportunity when he saw one- to kiss and fuss more.

"He's right, Bow! We're a pretty great team!" She whispered from where their faces were only a hairs breadth apart, and as she spoke Bow could almost feel the ghost of a light kiss against his cheek.

"Lance, dear! Do you mind if I borrow Bow for a minute?

"Hm? Oh!" Lance opened his eyes at the sound of his husband’s voice and dropped the pair, laughing as Bow scrambled away and to his feet. Glimmer flopped over the table again, getting the last of her breathless giggles out with a sigh. She looked up as George placed a hand on Bow's shoulder, steadying him. Bow looked quickly between his father and her, and catching his desperately confused glare, she had the presence of mind again to look sorry for him.

 _"Sorry?"_ She mouthed.

 _"Wh-hshp-but- whh!?”_ Bow hissed back.

"We'll be back, you two chat." George moved his hand to Bow's back, guiding him away from the table, and Lance turned back to Glimmer with a scientific gleam in his eye.

"Oh! You've got to tell me more about that 'energy crystal', what _is_ that? Is it First One's Tech? Oh, here, have a biscuit." 

"Oh, Bow knows way more about ship stuff than I do - thank you very much- but it's some kind of alien natural resource powering the ship, we found it on..." 

The voices faded behind them as George led Bow up to the second floor and down a familiar hallway. His father didn't speak, and Bow watched the doors pass, until they came to a stop at a very familiar one.

"My old room?" Bow asked, as his father pushed open the door with a small _creak,_ and motioned for Bow to go in. Closing the door after them again and turning on a small light, George sighed and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Sorry, sorry. I wasn't originally going to just haul you away, but I figured I'd save you the indignity in front of the Queen." George raised an eyebrow in his son's direction. "It _is_ good to know that we can still embarrass you when you're a hero of the universe, though."

"Okay, whatever you th-" Bow began with his hands raising defensively, but stopped when his father cut him off.

"Bow, can we sit?" George gestured towards Bow's old bed, and Bow stiffly sat. He took a moment to look around. There were several new piles of books on his old desk, a layer of dust hanging in the air disturbed by their intrusion, and the old bed frame let out a squeal of protest as George sat heavily beside him. The covers were a quilt that had first belonged to his oldest brother, and Bow traced the patterns with his fingers, waiting quietly for his father to speak.

" _You_ were abducted by the Horde, and you didn't tell us." Bow jolted, looking over quickly. George was leaned over where he sat, arms resting on his knees and hands clasped under his chin for support as he all but hung his head. Bow gaped at the sight. George didn't _slouch._

"I. No- that was a long time ago.” He began, but clamped his mouth shut again quickly, cognizant of how much that detail didn't really make things look better. He sighed shallowly, and tried again. "They were really after Glimmer, I was just-"

"I know, I know. And after what you accomplished today, I really don't have a leg to stand on to chastise you for the dangers you've landed yourself in." Bow stared as his father spoke quietly, looking out into the room with a tense expression. "But as your father, it's frightening to know how much I still don't know about you." 

"I didn't exactly want to make you change your mind right when you'd finally accepted..." Bow paused to choose his next word. "Everything." It was the truth, and Bow reached hesitantly for George's shoulder. His father glanced over at the touch, and he caught Bow's hand in his own. Turning it over in his grip, he traced the bumps and callouses that covered his son's skin with a tenderness that nearly took Bow's breath away.

"I will _never_ change my mind about supporting you, Bow. The real you. I know we have a lot of lost time to make up for, and... I'm sorry."

"I did feel like I couldn't tell you. But I never _wanted_ to tell you, either. I didn't want you to hate me-" Bow felt George flinch, his grip on his hand tightening, "-but I mostly just didn't want to hurt you guys." 

George sighed. "When did you get so strong?" 

"I." Bow blinked and stared. George waited quietly, still holding his hand.

"I guess... when I found my friends."

George hummed, releasing Bow's hand, and Bow rubbed his hands together at the absence of touch. 

"We definitely went to the Crimson Wastes too. And we infiltrated Horde Prime's flagship. While we're, uh, getting stuff out there."

"You-!" George choked, his hands reaching up to pull at his hair before he slumped again with a groan. He sank backwards, hands crossing over his chest, head resting against the wall behind them.

"Pffft." Bow flopped backwards too, the two of them looking upwards at the ceiling through the dim light and dust.

"Don't push your luck, young man." George said with a sigh, and he cast a searching eye over at his son, looking him up and down and nodding to himself. The pair sat for a minute more, before George continued. "You know, I don't believe you've ever told us how you and Glimmer met in the first place."

Bow paused. "I... guess I haven't. It feels like I've known her forever."

"... You two seem close."

"Please don't."

"I have eyes, Bow. You're attached at the hip, you've barely let go of her since you arrived."

Bow heard the light teasing in his father's voice, but something about it made his heart drop in his chest. He thought back to how he’d run right in, holding her hand as if it was a part of himself. The way he’d held her tightly not but hours ago as Etheria crumbled at their feet. How it’d felt to finally touch her again through the heavy fabric of his spacesuit, after... He sat up, burying his face in both hands.

 _"Wdsnt,"_ Bow mumbled through his palms.

"So I'm just _offering_ , if you have any questions, or if you ever need to talk about anything you're feeling; you _don't_ have to, but if there's anything going on-"

"It’s not- Js- Maybe! I just don't want anything to happen!" His voice came through muffled, his trapped breathing warm on his skin. 

"What?" George sounded lost, and Bow shook his head, dragging his hands down his face. 

"I know this is gonna sound stupid, and I’m not meaning to do it, but sometimes..." He glanced over at George, seeing his father still watching carefully, and he continued quickly. "It just feels like, if I let go, then..."

"Bow?" George leaned closer to his son and examined his downcast face. "Oh. Bow. You're not being stupid." 

His son remained quiet, only worrying at his lip with an anxious hand. 

"Bow, a lot just happened. And I don't want you to feel like you still have to keep the bad things to yourself for our sake. I know the kind of things that can happen in a war. I only wish none of it happened to _you_."   
  


"...I was so _close_. When it happened." Bow dropped his hands to his lap, looking up at his father with a frown. 

"When what happened?" 

"Glimmer, in the Fright Zone, she..." Bow bit his tongue at the memory and shook his head to banish the sick feeling that was rising in his throat. "She was right there, and I was fighting, and I tried to get to her in time, but Horde Prime just..." Bow threw both of his hands upwards in demonstration. "He made this green light appear and it took her, and I saw it happen, but I was too late -and that was the second time she was kidnapped...- But I was _this close-!_ " He brought both hands back down onto his lap, balled tightly into fists. "She just vanished. Off the face of Etheria." Forcing his hands to relax, Bow sighed. "We found her with Entrapta's help. A lot... a lot happened."

George waited, letting the air settle, watching. After a moment of silence, he spoke.

"She's okay now, Bow. You got everyone through safely."

 _"We_ did." Bow corrected. "It took everyone being in the right place at the right time, and that's... kinda the thing. I could've been too late, any of those countless other times people needed me, and I know it because I _was_ too late before." He frowned, looking down at his hands. 

"Bow, you know you can't think like that." George spoke out into the dim room, with an edge but with no malice, only a hard-earned certainty. Bow's eyes flicked over the features of his father's face, dark and weary in the dim light, and he thought about seeing that expression before.

"Yeah. I know." Bow's voice was quiet, and his father turned to meet his gaze. After a second, Bow sighed, bringing one hand up to rub at the tired muscles at the base of his neck.

"... We fought." Bow offered. "She did something... really bad. It was stupid, and dangerous! But I still- y'know." 

"Yes, I think I know." 

Bow looked up with a furrowed brow, and George patted a hand heavily on his shoulder

"I happen to know someone who does stupid, dangerous things. And, things I may not like so much. But I'm _always_ going to love you, Bow. Lance and I love you so, so much." 

"Thanks, Dad." Bow sighed, turning back towards his father in order to wrap another hug around him, leaning his head against his chest. "Love you too." George held him tightly, idly rubbing circles on his back.

"And I meant it when I said any questions-"

" **Yep.** "

"Do you want to go back downstairs now?"

"...Yeah. In a minute."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is a 3-parter now. expect a lil epilogue to fill out a few more scenes with the fam. writing this much dialogue was pure pain i hope it still sounds natural but hdsjhfho. jesus christ. i tried to make sure the beats lead from one to the next naturally too. it's fun to try and visualize the animation of whats happening as you read, imo. also tried to balance ehat would be realizstically said in canon bc... kids show vs the more complicated converdational liberties you can have in fic..... idk, i just hope i did good!!!!!  
> i hope i didn’t make bow sound too young or immature bc i think he’s like 19 here but as someone not much older than him and autistic who also didn’t have a relationship with their parents for a big chunk of their adolescence but now it’s nothin but love, i just wanted to get that awkward dynamic. yes hello i love you child the light of my life, can we please talk a little bit about all the traumatizing things u hid from me right under my nose when you were in highschooL bc i love you implicitly but still feel like a stranger  
> ANYWAY!!!  
> i've been working on this for like 11 hours and i'm posting it whether it's good or not.
> 
> thank you those of you that commented encouragement, you kept me going and i'm so, so happy to be sharing this with you, i hope it makes you guys happy too  
> please leave a comment if you enjoyed chapter 2, it’s a lot more substantial that the intro and i’d make me very happy to hear what you think 🥺🥺🥺

**Author's Note:**

> chapter 2 in a couple days, it'll be waaaay longer than ch.1...... bow and his dads n glimmer talking about what happened. good fam time. so think of it like a lil prologue. i'll edit this tomorrow too cause i just like, wrote it in 2 hours directly into ao3. it's fuckin hard using only words for this when i can see all the tiny details i want playing out in my head like an episode. it's been a little while but i'm back on my bullshit to provide the bow-centric fics this fandom needs


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